Individuals and businesses across many industries use containers to ship and store documents, materials, personal items, memorabilia, and the like. A common container for such use is a box having a lid for shipping elongated objects, including golf clubs and golf bags, carpet rolls and fishing poles. Such box is typically made of a corrugated paperboard or cardboard, and has elongated rectangular, planar sides and folded top and bottom panels.
In recent years, the popularity of golf has increased tremendously. This increase in popularity of golf can be seen by the rise in sales of golf equipment, such as golf clubs and golf bags, an increase in waiting times to “tee off” at local area golf courses, and an increase in the number of vacation-, conference-, and work-related destinations the feature golf. It is common to see golfers taking vacations and traveling long distances in order to play golf on golf courses all over the world. However, instead of renting golf equipment, such as golf clubs and golf bags, many golfers prefer using their own golf equipment when playing on these far-away golf courses.
In order for golfers to use their own equipment when playing on these far away golf courses, they must pack the golf equipment in a secure manner so as to avoid damaging or losing such equipment. This may consist of simply packing their golf equipment in the golf bag itself, and placing a cover over the opening of the golf bag, or buying specialty containers designed specifically for storing golf equipment during travel. However, it is a common occurrence for golf clubs and other equipment to be damaged or lost during travel using the currently known specialty equipment designed for storing golf equipment during travel. This is especially true when the golf equipment is stored with luggage or other heavy objects in a luggage compartment of an airplane during air flights to these various golf courses.
Lost and damaged golf equipment, of course, has led to an increased demand for golf storage cases which both protect golf equipment while ensuring that the golf equipment will not be lost during travel. Many of these currently designed golf cases are shells constructed from metal or rigid plastic and are shaped to accommodate a golf bag with golf clubs stored therein. Generally, these types of cases comprise two mating shells hinged together along a side so that the case may be opened to receive the golf equipment therein. Some examples of these types of cases are shown in U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 252,774, 282,303, 350,026, and 394,950.
Still other currently designed cases are tubular in design and incorporate a cap or the like through which a golf bag with golf clubs can be inserted or removed from the case. An example of this type of case container is U.S. Design Pat. No. 312,531. While these case containers can store golf clubs and golf bags and prevent loss thereof, they are generally expensive, very heavy and cumbersome.
The popularity of golf has also increased the sale of golf equipment. Accordingly, an increased number of golf bags and golf clubs or a combination thereof are now being transported via mail or other shipping methods. In these instances, there is a potential for individual golf clubs to be separated from the remaining golf clubs, or even to be lost or damaged during transport to their destination.
Various types of cardboard shipping and display boxes have been developed for shipping golf clubs. Examples of these various types of shipping and display boxes are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,495,983, 2,645,353, 2,604,255, 2,289,619, and 1,974,674, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties. However, the above examples of golf club shipping boxes do not make provisions for the inclusion of a golf bag, but rather only the golf clubs.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,254, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference, discloses a three-sided corrugated box made from a single piece of corrugated.
There is thus a current need for an inexpensive golf equipment container that provides protection for a golf bag and golf clubs against damage during travel or transport. There is also a need for an inexpensive golf equipment container which prevents the loss or separation of the golf bag and clubs during travel or transport. There is still a further need for a golf equipment container that can accommodate both the golf bag and golf clubs, and other equipment.